Bomber Command Memorial rated London's top landmark

A MEMORIAL that pays tribute to the tens of thousands of brave men who lost their lives in bombing raids over wartime Germany has again been ranked by Trip Advisor as London's top landmark in the run up to Christmas.

55,573 young Bomber Command crew who lost their lives during the Second World War [.]

Bomber Command flew from day one, and on every day throughout the entire war

Jim Dooley

The Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park has beaten the likes of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace to the number one spot on the travel review site.

Visitors from all over the world come to pay their respects to the 55,573 young Bomber Command crew who lost their lives during the Second World War.

Despite having described them as "the means of victory", Sir Winston Churchill made no mention of them in his speech at the end of the war and they received no dedicated memorial.

Jim Dooley, fundraising director at Bomber Command, said: "Before the Memorial was built, Bomber Command was in a negative position - its image was misrepresented and misunderstood - and the general public lacked awareness.

"But since then the perception of Bomber Command has changed, and people have become aware of the tremendous role they played in the war.

"It should have been built 60 years earlier but now the guys in Bomber Command can hold their heads high."

The memorial stands in Green Park [NATIONAL]

He went on to explain how the daring raids helped tie up essential Nazi resources that could have been deployed to devastating effect elsewhere.

He said: "After Dunkirk, other branches of the services had limited involvement until 1944, but Bomber Command flew from day one, and on every day throughout the entire war.

"It meant that the Germans had to tie up one million men and tens of thousands of 88mm guns defending their cities.

"Had those resources been available on the Russian front they would have won the war.

"They would have been able to turn their attention westward and roll into Britain.”

The Memorial is looked after by the The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, who still need to raise £1.4 million for its upkeep.

A spokesperson said: "The fact that the Memorial has been one of the highest ranked London landmarks since it was opened by HM The Queen in June 2012 is testament to the enormous gratitude and respect these fine young men are held in.

"It has been very moving to witness the vast numbers of people visiting the Memorial, and also to see the many tributes and mementoes which are left at the Memorial on a daily basis – from beautiful flowers and photos to letters from the wives or parents of those who lost their lives.

"As guardians of the Memorial, our role is to maintain it as a fitting place for visitors to pay their respects to these brave young men, and also to ensure that it is preserved for future generations so that their sacrifice is never forgotten.”

The Memorial was opened by the Queen on June 28, 2012, after an appeal was made to raise the £5.6million it would take to construct it.

Generous Daily Express readers donated £500,000 to the cause, an offer which was matched by the paper's owner Richard Desmond, contributing £1million to the pot.

The Memorial was designed by Liam O'Connor and is built of of Portland stone.

The roof is constructed from aluminium from a Halifax Bomber.

Housed inside the memorial is a 9ft bronze statue of an aircrew returning from a raid which was designed by Philip Jackson.

Some 6,000 veterans and the families of those killed in the war attended the opening ceremony in which a Lancaster bomber dropped poppy petals over Green Park.

For more information or to make a donation to The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund CLICK HERE